Still reworking the pitch...

Another draft of the pitch. Note I forgot to change the heading at the top of the page, but in the actual pitch the show is no longer "The Gargoyle" but is once again "Gargoyles".

Note also that we were still thinking that Goliath was awake for a thousand years, something we'd eventually transfer to Demona.

Also, at the time, we were thinking that gargoyles had stone-like skin even when awake.

For once the information in [brackets] below is from the document itself, not my 21st century additions.

THE GARGOYLE
(Weisman / 2-2-92)

DISTRIBUTION: Cranston, Fair, Felix, Guler, Kline, Krisel, Ryan, Schaefer, Stones

PITCH BREAKDOWN
(Third Pass)

[Please note the "dialogue" is rough. The main purpose of this draft is to lay out the art cards. In addition, we are working on new names for all the characters.]

1. Trio of typical stone gargoyles. (B&W)

"We all think we know what GARGOYLES are. Ugly, stone statues squatting on the rooves of old buildings. But there was a time, one thousand years ago, when gargoyles were real, living creatures. During the day, they slept...frozen in stone."

2. Medieval Flashback (B&W): GARGOYLE-MASTER in fg, RALPH and DEMONA in bg tossing human barbarians off the ramparts of the castle.

"But when the sun went down, the GARGOYLE-MASTER would lead his WARRIORS in defense of the king's castle.

"Then one night, the Master was lured away from his post. The castle was overrun. Sacked. The people dragged away in chains."

3. Medieval Flashback continues (B&W): WIZARD curses the Gargoyle-Master.

"The Gargoyle-Master took full responsibility. And the WIZARD of the castle layed a curse upon him: `Your task was simple. You failed. As punishment, you will guard the empty rooms and ramparts of this castle, 'til its spires rest among the clouds.'"

4. Last Medieval Flashback (B&W): The Gargoyle-Master alone on the castle ramparts, howls in loneliness at the moon. (Or nobly accepting his fate?)

"Now that's the kind of curse that's designed to last forever. The other gargoyles fell into a stone sleep and could not be roused. But the Master was not granted that peace. For a thousand years, he waited...alone.

5. Castle on the skyscraper. (Now, for the rest of the pitch, we're in color.)

"New York City, 1994. A rich and powerful man has decided there's a better place for a medieval castle than a picturesque hill in Scotland. He's moved the whole place--lock, stock and gargoyle--to the top of the tallest skyscraper in Manhattan, where it's spires can finally touch the clouds."

6. Police Detective MARIA CHAVEZ. (Following a CROOK? If so, it's nighttime.)

"All of which means nothing to New York Police Detective, MARIA CHAVEZ. Castles and curses don't even enter her mind. She's hot on the trail of a major badguy."

7. She's ambushed on a rooftop by crook and multiple THUGS. She's holding her own in the fight. But someone's about to nail her from behind. (And from another rooftop, someTHING is watching in the shadows. Keep this subtle though.)

"Unfortunately, that trail leads right to an ambush. Now, Maria's tough. She can hold her own in a fight. But she's outnumbered here...and almost out of time."

8. Reveal GARGOYLE-MASTER, as he dives into fray from above.

"But not out of luck. Maria, meet the new kid in town."

9. Gargoyle lifts a badguy with either hand. While a third shoots at him, the bullets glancing off his stone-like hide. (Basic demonstration of his strength and invulnerability.)

"The strength that served the Gargoyle-Master so well in the past is doubly dangerous today. And that stone-like hide of his makes him practically invulnerable to his enemies."

10. Romantic shot in moonlight. Close in. She reaches up to touch his face gently. He looks as handsome and noble as we can manage.

"Though all too vulnerable to the kindness of his new-found friend. He tells her his story. Tells her of the thousand years he's spent in solitude. She offers him hope, real human friendship..."

11. From atop the skyscraper, she shows him Manhattan. The city as fortress. This is our showpiece card.

"...And a sense of purpose. Because if a gargoyle-master is supposed to protect his home from barbarians at the gate, then this one has found the right place to live. `Fortress Manhattan' has its fair share of barbarians."

12. XAVIER.

"Take XAVIER, for example. Rich, powerful and arrogant, a master at behind-the-scenes manipulation, Xavier is the man who's usurped possession of the Gargoyle's castle... and turned it into his own personal headquarters."

13. The PACK. WOLF, FOX, HYENA, JACKAL, DINGO and the CY.O.T.I. All of them attacking our Gargoyle.

"Then there's THE PACK: WOLF, FOX, JACKAL, HYENA, DINGO and the CY.O.T.I. To the public they're television's greatest Wrestling-Gladiator Team. But to the Gargoyle, they're the most dangerous enforcers he's ever faced."

14. ROBOT climbing building toward Gargoyle.

"Except maybe the ROBOTS from SCARAB-CORP. Modern-day nightmares worse than anything he saw in the dark ages."

15. CATSCAN grappling w/Gargoyle, blasting at him w/"Night Vision" from his eyes.

"But no worse than CATSCAN. A scientist mutated by his own experiments into a bitter criminal with deadly `Night Vision'."

16. DEMONA facing off with BIG GUN against our Gargoyle.

"Still, the toughest opponent of them all is an old friend. DEMONA was once the Master's most trusted Gargoyle Warrior. But she betrayed him. Now she's his sworn enemy, and unfortunately, Demona's taken to the twentieth Century like bullets take to guns."

17. RALPH. (Two poses, perhaps?)

"Fortunately, our hero doesn't have to face these villains alone. In addition to Maria, the Master has help from his old friend RALPH. When the curse was lifted, the few remaining Gargoyles who survived the attack on the old castle woke up for the first time in 1000 years. Ralph is an old Gargoyle Warrior long past his prime. His primary duty has always been to keep a close watch on the young Gargoyles-in-training..."

18. Trio of young Gargoyles, KRAMER, CUBBI and BELUSHI. (Same as card 1 but in color, perhaps?)

"...KRAMER, CUBBI and BELUSHI. (Uh, they picked their own names.)"

19. Cubbi. (Multiple poses?)

"Cubbi is the ring-leader. He's always looking for adventure. Always looking for trouble."

20. Belushi. (Multiple poses?)

"Belushi, on the other hand, is always looking for a good time. She's been asleep for a thousand years, and now she's ready to party."

21. Kramer. (Multiple poses?)

"Kramer's been asleep too, but he's just fascinated with the world he's woken up in. He thinks watching television is great. Of course, he also thinks watching a traffic light change colors is great He's ready for anything this brave, new world has to offer.

22. The DOG. (Multiple poses, definitely.)

"Unlike DOG. Dog is one angst-ridden pet. Doesn't like adventure. Doesn't like new technology. Just likes to eat a lot, sleep a lot, and make a general mess.

23. Exterior of municipal building.

"Together, they've all left the old castle behind and taken up residence in the old MUNICIPLE HALL."

24. Interior of municipal building.

"There, above the police station, above the library and the mayor's office, Maria has found them the perfect home."

25. Stone version of our Gargoyle. Looking vicious and scary. Daylight.

"They still sleep during the day, finding an outdoor ledge just before sunrise and striking a pose that could give you nightmares."

26. Night. Gargoyle-Master, handsome and noble again, on top of a skyscraper with the full moon and Maria (& other Gargoyles?) right behind him. Gothic mood, but clearly set in the present.

"But when the sun goes down, they're our only protection from the city's dark terrors."

27. Title Card: "THE GARGOYLES".

"They are...THE GARGOYLES."